Statement: Mahama, where is our 10%? - TESCON

The Western Region is undeniably the richest region in the country in terms of natural resources. However, its developmental situation remains one of the greatest contradictions of our time. As a region endowed with all the natural resources needed for development, the region has for centuries not benefited from the resources it produces.

Its share of the national cake as promised by the NDC in the build up to the 2008 elections have been reduced to mere rhetoric. Thus, although the regions new found wealth (oil) has contributed well over 500 million Dollars to the national coffers since 2010, its infrastructure is nothing to write home about.

Though the WR is faced with such enormous challenges, we find as ironic that the John Mahama administration can afford to pay judgment debt totaling over 400million dollars, much of which is tainted with corruption. What is even more insulting to the people is the sheer opulence which is been exhibited by President Mahama and his campaign team.

Today all the most expensive billboards belong to the NDC, a party which could not afford to pay its electricity bills barely four years ago. Again the various campuses in the country have become grounds for showcasing their loot as students are being induced with phones and Hyundai i10 saloon cars. We have no doubt that our students who are discerning will not in any way fall for this desperate and shameless antics of the NDC.

With such reckless spending, it is clear that the NDC government’s inability to attend to our developmental needs today does not stem from insufficient resources, but rather, a shallow understanding of basic prioritization of needs and hence remains helpless in the fight against corruption.

Thus whiles the NPP has something to show for the 34 Billion Ghana cedis it spent in 8years, the NDC has nothing to show for the over 45 billion dollars it has spent in its four year period. ‘Na Sika No wo he?’

Today, the people of Western Region are suffering and we wish to bring to the fore the following concerns in the region;

1. The fact that fisher folks along the coastal areas of the WR cannot afford the high cost of outboard motors and fishing nets which until 2008 was available at a highly subsidized fee. Currently, they cannot even get them to buy since it's been controlled by NDC apparatchiks with no idea of managing this nonpartisan industry. The Fact that unemployment is on the rise in the region coupled with high cost of living.

2. The fact that, the Tarkwa, Bogoso ,Prestea and Yamfori roads have been abandoned in spite of the fact that the NDC government inherited a secured amount of 350million USD from the American Exim bank sourced by the Kufour led NPP government for that project, and confirmed by the WR minister last year in parliament.

3. The fact that the Asankragwaa- Enchi road has not seen the day of light even though the Kufour-led NPP government secured an EU grant of 73million euros for that project. This has been confirmed by the WR minister last year in parliament.

4. The fact that the local economy has become so bad that farmers cannot afford the high cost of fertilizers in the cocoa growing areas in the WR. As of 2008 a bag of cocoa could buy 7 bags of fertilizer in the WR. However, as of now, a bag of cocoa can purchase 4 fertilizers.

5. The fact that the management of premix fuel has been left in the hands of known NDC activists who in turn makes it available to their fellow party folks.

TESCON believes that the NPP has the best of records when it comes to managing our economy as a country. Thanks to President Kufour and the NPP’s ingenuity, Ghana found oil in commercial quantities in the western region of Ghana. Today, cocoa has a hit a million tonnes because the NPP government introduced the Cocoa Mass spraying exercise and equipped farmers with the modern farming techniques. The NHIS, which, according to a World Bank report, is on the brink of a collapse, was introduced by the NPP.

We call on all the youth and the people of western to Get out and vote massively for Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo and the NPP on the 7th December, 2012 to restore hope to the people of western Region.

We are resolute and would not be cowed into submission by the orchestration and machination of the NDC with the support of some men in uniform. We are therefore calling on the police to show loyalty to the state and not any political party or persons, who want to use them to champion their parochial agenda, which in turn can damage the peace we enjoy in our country.

Please remember, a vote for Nana Addo is an endorsement of the NPP’s free SHS program that will completely transform Ghana.Vote Nana Addo.